{"id":318464,"date":"2026-05-26T12:40:37","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T16:40:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=318464"},"modified":"2026-05-29T13:19:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T17:19:21","slug":"icj-court-order-on-fixing-of-time-limits-reply-and-rejoinder-south-africa-v-israel","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/icj-court-order-on-fixing-of-time-limits-reply-and-rejoinder-south-africa-v-israel\/","title":{"rendered":"International Court of Justice Order on fixing of time-limits: Reply and Rejoinder – South Africa’s genocide case against Israel"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

Fran\u00e7ais<\/a><\/p>\n

To learn more about all ICJ cases related to the question of Palestine, click here to visit the dedicated webpage.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE<\/strong><\/p>\n

YEAR 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

21 May 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

APPLICATION OF THE CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION AND PÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵISHMENT OF THE CRIME OF GENOCIDE IN THE GAZA STRIP<\/strong><\/p>\n

(SOUTH AFRICA v. ISRAEL)<\/strong><\/p>\n

ORDER<\/strong><\/p>\n

Present<\/em>: President<\/em> IWASAWA; Vice-President<\/em> SEBUTINDE; Judges<\/em> TOMKA, ABRAHAM, XUE, BHANDARI, NOLTE, CHARLESWORTH, BRANT, G\u00d3MEZ ROBLEDO, CLEVELAND, AURESCU, TLADI, HMOUD, OKOWA; Judge<\/em> ad hoc SHAPIRA; Registrar<\/em> GAUTIER.<\/p>\n

The International Court of Justice,<\/p>\n

Composed as above,<\/p>\n

After deliberation,<\/p>\n

Having regard to Article 48 of the Statute of the Court and to Articles 31, 44, 45, paragraph 2, and 48 of the Rules of Court,<\/p>\n

Having regard to the Application filed in the Registry of the Court on 29 December 2023<\/a>, whereby the Republic of South Africa (hereinafter \u201cSouth Africa\u201d) instituted proceedings against the State of Israel (hereinafter \u201cIsrael\u201d) concerning alleged violations in the Gaza Strip of obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide,<\/p>\n

Having regard to the Order of 5 April 2024<\/a>, whereby the Court fixed 28 October 2024 and 28 July 2025 as the respective time-limits for the filing of the Memorial of South Africa and the Counter-Memorial of Israel,<\/p>\n

Having regard to the Memorial of South Africa filed within the time-limit thus fixed,<\/p>\n

Having regard to the Order of 14 April 2025, whereby the Court extended the time-limit for the filing of the Counter-Memorial of Israel to 12 January 2026, and to the Order of 20 October 2025, whereby the President of the Court extended this time-limit to 12 March 2026,<\/p>\n

Having regard to the Counter-Memorial of Israel filed within the time-limit as extended;<\/p>\n

Whereas, on 29 April 2026, a meeting was held by the President of the Court with the representatives of the Parties pursuant to Article 31 of the Rules of Court, in order to ascertain their views on the subsequent procedure in the case;<\/p>\n

Whereas, at the meeting, the Agent of South Africa indicated that his Government considered that a second round of written pleadings was warranted; whereas he requested that the Court accord the Applicant at least 18 months to file its Reply given the complexity of the case, the voluminous nature of the Counter-Memorial (including its annexes) and the fact that, in addition to addressing the merits of the case, it contained objections to the jurisdiction of the Court and the admissibility of the Application;<\/p>\n

Whereas, at the same meeting, the Deputy Agent of Israel stated that his Government considered that a second round of written pleadings was not necessary; whereas he submitted that, in the event that the Court were to direct a second round of written pleadings, Israel did not object to a period of 18 months being granted to South Africa to prepare its Reply, provided that the same amount of time be accorded to Israel to prepare its Rejoinder;<\/p>\n

Taking into account the views of the Parties,<\/p>\n

Directs<\/em> the submission of a Reply by the Republic of South Africa and a Rejoinder by the State of Israel;<\/p>\n

Fixes<\/em> the following time-limits for the filing of these written pleadings:<\/p>\n

22 November 2027 for the Reply of the Republic of South Africa;<\/p>\n

22 May 2029 for the Rejoinder of the State of Israel; and<\/p>\n

Reserves<\/em> the subsequent procedure for further decision.<\/p>\n

Done in English and in French, the English text being authoritative, at the Peace Palace, The Hague, this twenty-first day of May, two thousand and twenty-six, in three copies, one of which will be placed in the archives of the Court and the others transmitted to the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the State of Israel, respectively.<\/p>\n

(Signed) IWASAWA Yuji,
\nPresident.<\/p>\n

(Signed) Philippe GAUTIER,
\nRegistrar.<\/p>\n

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